On
November
21, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
revoked
Brian
Merrill
Miller's
license to
practice
law. He
admitted
that in
four cases
he had
violated
professional
rules that
govern
diligence,
communication,
safekeeping
property,
declining
or
terminating
representation,
bar
administration
and
disciplinary
matters,
and
misconduct
that
reflects
adversely
on fitness
to
practice.
Mr. Miller
abandoned
his
practice
and failed
to respond
to the VSB
investigation
of the
complaints.
He
consented
to the
revocation.

On
September
26, 2008,
a Virginia
State Bar
Third
District
Subcommittee
publicly
admonished
Richard
James
Oulton
with terms
for
violating
professional
rules that
govern
fees;
conflict
of
interest --
prohibited
transactions;
safekeeping
property;
declining
or
terminating
representation;
and
attempted
misconduct.
His fee
agreement
in a
bankruptcy
case
contained
language
that
violated
or
attempted
to violate
the
disciplinary
rules. Mr.
Oulton
must stop
using the
fee
agreement.
This was
an agreed
disposition.

On October
27, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
suspended
Steven
Ross
Belcher's
license as
an
associate-status
lawyer in
Virginia
for five
days, in
response
to a
sanction
by the
Supreme
Court of
Missouri
for
misconduct
in that
state. The
Virginia
suspension
was
effective
October
23-27,
2008,
which was
the time
his
Virginia
license
was
summarily
suspended
pending a
reciprocal
disciplinary
hearing.
In
Missouri,
Mr.
Belcher
received a
six-month
suspension
that was
stayed
pending a
probationary
term. This
was an
agreed
disposition
of the
Virginia
matter.

On
September
26, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
suspended
John
Fredrick
McGarvey's
license to
practice
law for
eighteen
months
based on a
conviction
in the
City of
Richmond
Circuit
Court of
driving
under the
influence
- third
offense.
The
suspension
is
effective
retroactive
to April
24, 2008 -
the date
that his
license
was
summarily
suspended
by the
board
pending a
disciplinary
hearing.

On
September
30, 2008,
a
three-judge
panel in
the
Virginia
Beach
Circuit
Court
affirmed
on appeal
a public
admonition
on
Brian Gay
for
violating
a
professional
rule that
governs
misconduct
by
engaging
in
deliberately
wrongful
acts that
reflect
adversely
upon the
lawyer's
honesty,
trustworthiness,
or fitness
to
practice
law. The
misconduct
occurred
in
connection
with a
defamation
suit Mr.
Gay filed
against a
former client.
The
admonition
was
imposed by
the
Virginia
State Bar
Second
District
Committee,
Section
II.

On October
8, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
revoked
Robert
Edward Mittendorff's
license to
practice
law. Mr.
Mittendorff
admitted
that he
could not
defend
himself
against
pending
complaints
that
alleged he
accepted
money to
perform
work for
clients,
did not
perform
the work,
and did
not
respond to
their
efforts to
contact
him. He
consented
to the
revocation.

On
September
26, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
publicly
reprimanded
Jay H.
Zimmerman
for
violating
professional
rules that
govern
diligence
and
safekeeping
property.
The
misconduct
occurred
during a
real
estate
settlement.

On
September
26, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
imposed a
thirty-day
suspension
with terms
on
Peter
Campbell
Sackett.
The
suspension,
effective
October 6,
2008,
resulted
from Mr.
Sackett's
failure to
comply
with the
terms of a
public
reprimand
issued
October
12, 2007.
He must
employ a
certified
public
accountant
to bring
his
accounts
into
compliance
with the
Rules of
Professional
Conduct or
his
license
will be
suspended
for one
year. This
was an
agreed
disposition.

On
September
26, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
suspended
Eva
Lavonne
Stephenson
Plum's
license to
practice
law for
one year
and one
day. Ms.
Plum was
found
guilty on
June 7,
2008, in
Augusta
County
Circuit
Court of
eluding
police in
a vehicle.
On August
29, 2008,
the board
summarily
suspended
her law
license
pending
the
disciplinary
hearing.

On
September
26, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
revoked
Owaiian
Maurice
Jones's
license to
practice
law for
failing to
comply
with rules
of the
Supreme
Court of
Virginia
that
require an
attorney
to notify
clients
and others
when he or
she has
been
suspended.
Mr. Jones
was
suspended
for
eighteen
months
effective
June 27,
2008.
After
clients
reported
to the bar
that Mr.
Jones had
not
notified
them and
they could
not locate
him, his
practice
was placed
in
receivership
by
Stafford
County
Circuit
Court on
August 4,
2008.

On
October
24, 2008,
a Virginia
State Bar
Third
District
Subcommittee
publicly
reprimanded
Kristina
Marie K.
Fitzgerald
with terms
for
violating
professional
rules that
govern
diligence,
communication,
declining
or
terminating
representation,
candor
toward the
tribunal,
and
misconduct
involving
dishonesty,
fraud,
deceit, or
misrepresentation
that
reflects
adversely
on fitness
to
practice
law. The
violations
occurred
in a
domestic
relations
matter.
This was
an agreed
disposition.

On
September
19, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
suspended
David
Charles
Dickey's
license to
practice
law for
thirteen
months
with
twelve
months
suspended.
The
resulting
thirty-day
suspension
begins
December
15, 2008.
The board
also
suspended
Mr.
Dickey's
registration
as a
settlement
attorney
authorized
under the
Consumer
Real
Estate
Settlement
Protection
Act for
the same
time
period. He
violated
disciplinary
rules that
govern
diligence,
communication,
declining
or
terminating
representation,
and
responsibilities
regarding nonlawyer
assistants
and
statutes
that
govern
real
estate
closings.
Mr.
Dickey's
law office
performed
a
residential
real
estate
closing
while his
license
was
administratively
suspended
for his
failure to
comply
with a
subpoena duces
tecum from
the VSB.
This was
an agreed
disposition
of
misconduct
charges
against
Mr.
Dickey.

On
August 22,
2008, the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
revoked
Nazanin
Malekalketab
Nasri'slicense to
practice
law,
effective
April 29,
2008. Ms.
Nasri
pleaded
guilty to
conspiracy
to commit
immigration
fraud in
the U.S.
District
Court-Eastern
District
of
Virginia
in
Alexandria.
Her
license
was
summarily
suspended
on April
29,
pending
the
revocation
hearing.

On
August 7,
2008 a
three-judge
court of
Hampton
Circuit
Court
suspended
Michael
Christopher
Bruno's
license to
practice
law for
five years
with
terms,
effective
August 31,
2008. Mr.
Bruno
violated
professional
rules that
govern
diligence,
candor
toward the
tribunal,
fairness
to
opposing
party and
counsel,
bar
admission
and
disciplinary
matters,
and
misconduct.
The
violations
included
dishonesty
during a
representation
on a
habeas
corpus
petition
and during
a
subsequent
bar
investigation.
Under
terms of
the
suspension,
Mr. Bruno
must repay
$3,000 in
client
fees. This
was an
agreed
disposition
of
misconduct
charges.

On August
22, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
suspended
Bernadette
Wilbon
O'Neal's
license to
practice
law in
Virginia
for an
indefinite
period.
The
suspension
was based
on a May
28, 2008
decision
by the
Maryland
Court of
Appeals to
indefinitely
suspend
Ms.
O'Neal's
license to
practice
law in
that
state. The
Virginia
suspension
will
continue
until she
proves to
the board
that her
Maryland
license
has been
restored.
Ms.
O'Neal's
Virginia
license
was
summarily
suspended
on July
24, 2008,
pending
the August
22
hearing.

On
September
8, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
revoked
Dale Alan
Gipe's
license to
practice
law. Mr.
Gipe
admitted
that he
failed to
pay
$31,451.85
in monies
owed to a
title
agency in
twenty-seven
real
estate
transactions,
that he
did not
follow VSB
accounting
requirements,
and that
he wrote
checks to
himself
from the
escrow
account
that
contained
the funds.
He also
forged a
signature
in a real
estate
closing
for which
he was the
responsible
closing
attorney.
Mr. Gipe
consented
to the
revocation.

On
September
19, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Second
District
Committee
publicly
reprimanded
Robert
Charles
Neeley Jr.
for
violating
disciplinary
rules that
govern
communication
and
declining
or
terminating
representation.
Mr. Neeley
delayed
responding
to a
court-appointed
client's
request
for a copy
of his
transcripts
in a
criminal
case. This
was an
agreed
disposition
of
misconduct
charges.

On
September
4, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Third
District
Committee,
Section
III,
dismissed
a case
against
William
Theodore
Linka
for
exceptional
circumstances.
The
committee
determined
that Mr.
Linka had
on July 7,
2006, been
issued a
public
reprimand
with terms
for seven
cases
similar to
this one
and in the
same time
frame, and
further
action is
not
warranted.

On
September
4, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Third
District
Committee,
Section
III,
imposed a
public
reprimand
with terms
on
Harvey
Latney Jr.
for
violating
professional
rules that
governs
safekeeping
property
and
responsibilities
regarding
nonlawyer
assistants.
Mr.
Latney's
legal
assistant
embezzled
an
estimated
$290,000
from
clients of
his
private
law
practice.
He was
ordered to
report
regularly
to the bar
on his
accounts,
to make
full
restitution
to the
identified
clients
within
five
years, and
to notify
the VSB if
he
discovers
any more
embezzlement.
This was
an agreed
disposition
of ethics
charges
against
Mr. Latney.

On June
27, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
suspended
Owaiian
Maurice
Jones's
license to
practice
law for
eighteen
months.
The board
found he
violated
professional
rules that
govern
competence,
diligence,
communication,
safekeeping
property,
and bar
admission
and
disciplinary
matters.
The
misconduct
included
mishandling
of trust
account
funds. Six
cases were
dismissed
by the
board.

On
August 20,
2008, the
Virginia
State Bar
Tenth
District
Committee,
Section
II,
imposed a
public
admonition
with terms
on
Robert
Bruce
Dickert
for
violating
professional
rules that
govern
diligence,
communication,
and
safekeeping
property.
The
misconduct
occurred
during his
representation
of a
client who
was trying
to collect
a
judgment.
Mr.
Dickert
was
ordered to
bring his
attorney
trust
account
into
compliance
with the
assistance
of an
accountant.
This was
an agreed
disposition
of
misconduct
charges.

On July
18, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
imposed a
public
admonition
on T.
Lee Brown
Jr.
for
violating
professional
rules that
govern
diligence
and
communication.
The
violations
occurred
during a
divorce
representation.
This was
an agreed
disposition
of
misconduct
charges.

On July
15, 2008,
the
Virginia
State Bar
Fourth
District
Committee,
Section
II,
imposed a
public
reprimand
with terms
on
Helena
Daphne
Mizrahi for
violating
professional
rules that
govern
competence,
meritorious
claims and
contentions,
fairness
to
opposing
party and
counsel,
and
impartiality
and
decorum of
the
tribunal.
The
misconduct
occurred
during Ms.
Mizrahi's
representation
of a
plaintiff
in an
employment
matter.

On June
11, 2008,
a
three-judge
panel in
the
Fairfax
County
Circuit
Court
revoked
Chandra
Mahinda
Bogollagama's license to
practice
for
violating
disciplinary
rules that
govern
diligence,
communication
with
clients,
use of an
attorney
trust
account,
and the
obligation
to return
unearned
fees. The
court also
found that
Mr.
Bogollagama
engaged in
conduct
involving
dishonesty,
fraud,
deceit, or
misrepresentation,
and that
in
connection
with the
Virginia
State
Bar's
investigation
of a
disciplinary
matter he
knowingly
made a
false
statement
of
material
fact. The
violations
occurred
in six
cases in
which
clients
hired him
to procure
U.S. visas
for
themselves
or
relatives.

On
August 6,
2008, the
Virginia
State Bar
Disciplinary
Board
revoked Gerard
Raymond
Marks's license to
practice
law. Mr.
Marks
admitted
that he
accepted
client
money
without
performing
the work
for which
he was
hired,
that he
issued a
purported
settlement
check to a
client
when no
settlement
had
occurred,
and that
he forged
the
signatures
of judges
and other
officials
on legal
documents.
Mr. Marks
consented
to the
revocation.

On July 7, 2008, the Virginia State Bar Second District Committee imposed a public reprimand on Paul Lee Warren for violating professional rules that govern communication with a represented person. The case involved his representation of homeowners in a dispute with a contractor.

On June 6, 2008, a three-judge court of Virginia Beach Circuit Court reinstated a public admonition of Clarence Jordan Ball III for violating a profession rule that governs safekeeping property. The matter involved Mr. Ball's handling of disputed funds from a dissolved law firm partnership. The admonition originally was imposed December 13, 2007, but was stayed pending an appeal by Mr. Ball. He withdrew the appeal and the Supreme Court of Virginia dismissed it April 17, 2008.

On June 16, 2008, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board imposed a public reprimand with terms on Rebecca Louise Marquez for violating a professional rule that governs safekeeping property. In 2006, the Virginia State Bar received notice of an overdraft of Ms. Marquez's trust account. Ms. Marquez has taken steps, including hiring a practice management consultant, to avoid a recurrence of the events that gave rise to this misconduct. This is an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.

On May 20, 2008, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board imposed a public reprimand on Ashraf Wajih Nubani for violating the disciplinary rule that governs safekeeping of property. On three occasions, the Virginia State Bar received notices of overdrafts on Mr. Nubani's trust account. Mr. Nubani has taken steps to avoid a recurrence of the events that led to the overdrafts, including hiring a law office management consultant. This is an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.

On June 23, 2008, the Virginia State Bar Fifth District Committee, Section I, imposed a public reprimand with terms upon Neville Paul Crenshaw for violating Rules of Professional Conduct that govern competence, diligence, and communication. The violations occurred in divorce and custody representations. Mr. Crenshaw has taken steps to avoid a reoccurrence of the events giving rise to this misconduct including retaining the services of a law office practice management consultant. He is required to adopt the consultant's recommendations or face additional discipline. This was an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.